News

November 7, 2000

COOK IN OSAGE BEACH STIRS UP $20,000

A cook from Osage Beach whipped up $20,000 from "scratch" today when he uncovered a top prize in the Missouri Lottery’s "Season’s Greetings" Scratchers game. Roger Rutherford, 49, a chef for Arrowhead Lodge, said he stopped in Citgo Express Lane, Highway 54 in Osage Beach, this morning to get gas. Since he had $2 left from his $20 bill, he told the clerk to give him one $2 "Season’s Greetings" ticket.
Rutherford went out to his vehicle to scratch off his ticket, and he thought he had won $20. So he headed back into the store.
"I told the clerk to give me four more, and the rest in cash," he told lottery officials when he claimed his prize in Jefferson City today. "She told me she couldn’t cash it."
When the clerk ran the ticket through the machine, they both discovered it was worth $20,000, not $20.
Rutherford said he just bought a new house a week ago, and he plans to use the money to put in a fireplace. He also plans to pay bills and "spend a little more on Christmas."
The $2 "Season’s Greetings" game officially started on Saturday, along with two other holiday-theme games.